Ronnie Burnet will always be remembered as being one the old style amateurs. He was born in Saltaire on the 11 October1918 and learned his early cricket in his back garden at Rawdon. Moved to Baildon in 1931, he joined Baildon Green in the Bradford League and gained a first team place in 1936. In 1944 he was invited to captain Baildon where he led them to four titles In addition Burnet led them to their first Priestly Cup win in 1952.
He was then appointed Yorkshire Second X1 captain in 1952 in succession to Michael Crawford. He was then 33 and he himself regarded his six years at the helm of the Seconds as his greatest contribution to Yorkshire cricket.
It was perhaps a bigger shock to Ronnie than others when he was invited to succeed Billy Sutcliffe as Yorkshire skipper in 1958. At the age of 39, he was older than any previous captain of the side when he made his debut for the county. Other captains had led Yorkshire at an older age but they had some previous experience of first class cricket.
1958 was a wretched summer and Burnet had an early injury which interfered with his running of the side. The dismissal of Johnny Wardle accompanied by the below average performance of the team cast doubt and forebodings among the most loyal Yorkshire supporters. Manfully Burnet stuck to his task and in 1959,with a mixture of promising youngsters and seasoned players of the calibre of Trueman, Close and Illingworth helped the team to the championship finishing with a brilliant win at Hove typifying Yorkshire's side at its best.
At the end of the season he retired after just playing just 54 matches. Later he was awarded the O.B.E.for his services as chairman of the Yorkshire & Humberside Council for Sport &Recreation.
He died on the 6 March 1999 in Pateley Bridge being the last amateur captain of Yorkshire.
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